Resolutions
by Enkei Reiton
Summary: Ichigo and Rukia finally meet again after two years of separation under on New Year's... The circumstances aren't the best, but hopefully they can look forward to a brighter future. Spoilers for Chapter 423 and beyond, you have been warned...


**A/N: Once again, I'd like to take this chance to apologize for not updating any of my stories in a long while. It seems like I've hit a writers block, and will be putting Open Your Eyes, on hiatus for an indefinite period of time. I promise to update as and when I get back on track for this story. As for my other stories... Well, with the holidays coming up, I will be able to update very soon, the chapters are almost nearly complete. They are just undergoing a bit of incremental revision.**

**Regardless, I am proud to bring you this one-shot. It was just an idea of how Ichigo and Rukia should meet again. And since New Year's is approaching, I feel the need to incorporate it into my story somehow. I may also write a Christmas special... So keep checking back...

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**Resolutions**

The clock struck twelve - it was New Year's Eve. A stream of fireworks painted the sky of Karakura Town, and everyone seemed to be in a celebratory mood. There were cheers, and shouts of joy, and even the Shinigami who were present seemed to be enjoying themselves. Everyone was having a blast; Renji, Kyoraku, Rangiku and many of the others were passed out, while others enjoyed the solitude and familiarity of the place and took in the surroundings.

One such person happened to be Kuchiki Rukia. Although she was still recovering from her battle with the Sinner of Hell, her brother, who was currently mingling with those of high class, had permitted her to join in the festivities. For that, she was immensely grateful. Karakura Town, ever since meeting Kurosaki Ichigo, held a special place in her heart. Due to that, she felt obligated to come here every so often in honor of the brash teenage boy who had changed her life.

But he couldn't see her, not without his reiatsu which he no longer had. She missed their pointless arguments, and their random disagreements. Deeply, with all of her heart, she missed Kurosaki Ichigo. And she wished, that this New Year, he might be some miracle, be able to feel her presence at the very least. As Renji, though slightly drunk, joined her, she knew that he also wanted to meet with the orange-haired boy.

All of the Shinigami did, and they wondered what tomorrow would bring, especially because they didn't have their hero to help them fight the Sinners.

Somewhere, on the other side of town, where the celebrations had all died out, a man draped in a red cloak leaned casually against a terrace wall. He was quite comfortable with the silence, in fact he rather enjoyed it. The peace allowed him to think, a necessity he was scarcely provided with. Either his insane friends were discussing some crazed topic, or his dysfunctional family, or better yet his father, was shooting their mouth off about something that really didn't concern him.

Recently however, he didn't have to worry about the latter because his father was missing. The boy wished he knew where he had gone, it was depressing his sisters. They may have occasionally been pissed off at their father, but it was better having him there.

The man groaned, now he felt guilty about leaving his sister's alone, on New Year's of all the nights. Almost in response to his thoughts, a quiet voice resounded from somewhere above him, "Worried, are we Kurosaki-san?" The voice was sarcastic and teasing. Kurosaki Ichigo was familiar with it, but it still irritated him to no end. Instead of raging about it, which was a first for him, he cooly responded, "Not in the least..."

His lip curved into a smirk at the other man's discomfort, and he leaned further on to the terrace and sighed contentedly. There was a slight breeze behind him, and then another man stood beside him. If it weren't for the fact that Ichigo wasn't already well acquainted with the man's appearance, he would have been rather appalled. The man donned a striped hat, as well as striped pants, and strangely fashioned sandals. His blond hair ruffled in the wind as he began to speak.

"Your getting feisty aren't you Kurosaki-san?" Ichigo chose not to reply and the man continued, "Your sisters must be getting worried about you. Isshin is already missing, hmmm?" Keeping his mouth shut, Ichigo turned away from the terrace and walked a few steps. His jaw was locked, and his fists were clenched as his large figure began to tremble.

Yet his voice was soft and controlled. "What am I supposed to do, Urahara-san? The gate opened once, and my father..." He paused thinking about what he was going to say, " If these guys are after me, then the best I can do is to distance myself from everyone I want to protect... Besides, if what Xcution says is true then... I guess its better if I'm not involved with anyone." Urahara shifted his balance to his other foot and gazed upon the stars.

"Ichigo," Urahara began, using the boy's name for the first time, "Who do you ally yourself with now... Xcution... Can you honestly trust them?" That was it, a brief glint of menace flashed in Ichigo's eyes before he vehemently replied, "Well, I know damn well enough that I can't trust you!" Urahara looked away slightly abashed at the boy's insult, though it held in it a shred of the truth.

"Lighten up Kurosaki-san, maybe you should go and visit the Shinigami... They are in town." Urahara stated calmly choosing not to release his true feelings. Ichigo grunted in response and shunpoed away a few moments later.

He knew full well that he couldn't waltz right in there and say that he got all of his powers back. The Shinigami would either believe that he was an impostor, or just attack him without thinking at all. So instead, Ichigo decided to do a few rounds of Karakura Town, and eventually found himself wandering in the direction of the Shinigami party. Lithely, he stalked up a tree and looked upon Rukia who was sitting alone.

For a long time, he didn't know how long, he stared into the violet eyes, wishing somewhere deep inside that she would notice him. However when Renji, his friend and rival appeared, he felt the sudden urge to leave and never return. And when Rukia started crying, he was torn between jumping down and comforting her and fleeing the scene. Unfortunately, Renji wrapped a shoulder around her, and Ichigo shunpoed away, unnoticed by the Shinigami.

Later that night, as Ichigo sat on his own on another terrace, the Hell's Gate opened, and another Sinner entered Karakura Town.

Before the Shingami could even reach its location, Ichigo had finished with it, the hood of his cape drawn over his head. A small scar on his visage, pale in the moonlight, glowed a bright red - the insignia of Xcution. The Shinigami didn't know what it meant, but Ichigo did. It marked him as a member of Xcution, and as a traitor to the Shinigami.

Slowly, he raised one hand preparing to fire a Cero at his former friends, but was stopped by a blow to his chest, his hood removed in the process of falling backwards. Ichigo was taken aback to say the least, but his face warmed when he saw the a raven-haired girl clinging to him as if life depended on it. He let the girl soak his cloak thoroughly with her tears, not even protesting when she pounded him against his chest.

Because, in the end it was worth it. The violet-eyed Rukia Kuchiki looked up into his incredibly amber eyes, and every emotion experienced was conveyed. Finally after a lifetime of staring into her eyes, the mark on Ichigo's cheek vanished...

"I missed you Ichigo..."

"Ahhh, me too..."

"Baka!"

They linked arms, and the rest of the Shinigami, and unbeknownst to everyone else, Urahara Kisuke, looked on.

Maybe, the future was not bad after all... New Year's resolutions were made, and everyone shouted out again, "Happy New Year's!"

It definitely was.

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**A/N: Read and review... And keep checking back for updates once again... I will be posting chapters very soon, I promise. Thank you for reading!**

_**-WindSurfer**_


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